A recent study (AJ Sanyal et al. Hepatology 2019; 70: 1913-27) used prospectively collected data from two large randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2b studies of simtuzumab in patients with either bridging fibrosis (n=217) or compensated cirrhosis (n=258) due to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The age range of participants were 48-61 years with median ages of 55 years and 57 years for the two cohorts.  All patients had liver biopsies at screening and at weeks 48 and 96.

Key findings:

• Progression to cirrhosis occurred in 22% (48/217) of patients with bridging fibrosis (F3) over a median of 29 months
• Liver-related adverse clinical events (eg. ascites, variceal bleeding, encephalopathy, MELD score ≥15, liver transplantation or death) occurred in 19% (50/258) with compensated cirrhosis over a median of 29 months. Only 1 patient in this cohort died.
• Higher  baseline hepatic fibrosis or serum markers of fibrosis were associated with disease progression in patients with F3 disease

My take: Among those with advanced liver disease, this study indicates that disease progression/deterioration is rather rapid in about 20%.

Related blog posts:

• Improving Fatty Liver Disease Nomenclature
• Liver Shorts April 2019 Obesity/NAFLD and alcoholic liver disease are driving an increase in HCC and liver cancer mortality
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• Should Teenagers with Severe NAFLD Undergo Bariatric Surgery?
• Concise Review: Fatty Liver in Pediatrics
• Reaching Consensus on Bariatric Intervention in Children …
• Is a Three Year-Old Too Young for Bariatric Surgery …
• Should We Be Excited About a New Medication (Liraglutide …
• Overlooking Obesity in Hospitalized Children | gutsandgrowth
• Treating diabetes with surgery | gutsandgrowth

 P’tit Train du Nord Linear Park (near Montreal) -124 Miles

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